Yarn tensioning device



Jan. 8, 1963 5, FRlED YARN TENSIONING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Shezet 1 FiledNOV. 15, 1960 IN V EN TOR. fNJAM/N FRIED *GEHT Jan. 8, 1963 B. FRIED3,072,359

YARN TENSIONING DEVICE Filed Nov. l5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C IN V ENTUR. VWM f/VJAM/N Ffa/E0 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 3,072,359 YARN TENSIONINGDEVICE Benjamin Fried, 237 5 Arthur Ave., New York 57, N.Y. Filed Nov.15, 1960, Ser. N0. 69,446 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-153) The present inventionrelates to improvements in yarn tensioning devices designed to feedyarns traveling from a yarn package to any yarn handling machine, suchas warp winding machines, for instance, and will be describedparticularly as used with, but is in no way limited to, fabric producingmachines, such as circular knitting machines, warp knitting machines,weaving machines and like means requiring yarn to be fed thereto at agiven and preferably uniform tension.

It is one object of this invention to impart substantially even anduniform tension to such traveling yarns.

It is another object of the invention to provide automatic means forstopping the yarn handling machine in response to the breakage of anyyarn being fed thereto.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a plurality ofindividual yarn guide and tensioning means for each individual yarn in arelatively small space, thus producing individual control of each yarnand stoppage upon breakage of any yarn.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide yarn tensioncontrol means designed to equalize the tension of all yarns being fed tothe yarn handling machine.

Y IIt is a further object o-f the invention to provide simple and fastmeans for inactivating any given yarn guide means.

The above and other objects are accomplished in accordance with thepresent invention by providing, in combination with a yarn guide means,a yarn tension control means positioned between the yarn guide means andthe yarn handling machine,preferably above the path of the travelingyarn. The yarn tension control means comprises elements which force anytraveling yarn through a zig-zag path when the yarn contacts the controlmeans.

`According to a preferred embodiment, the yarn tension control meanscomprises a plurality, preferably at least three, of helical elements,such as coil springs, positioned concentrically about one another, thehelices of alternating elements or springs facing in oppositedirections.

The yarn guide means of this invention comprises a plurality of closelyadjacent levers with yarn guide means, such` as a pair of loops, on eachlever. Each lever is swingably mounted on an individual support defininga plane with its lever. A tension spring connects each lever with itssupport and biases the lever upwardly in the indicated plane about apivot, which is positioned in the support intermediate the points ofconnection of the tension spring, when the spring is in this plane. Thelever may be put out of action when the tension spring is flipped pastthe pivot and out of the plane. The bias of each tension springdetermines the tension under which the individual levers are biasedupwardly and this bias is' preferably adjustable for each individuallever.

Preferably, an electrical contact element is mounted above the leversand their supports and transversely of the planes defined thereby. Anelectrical control circuit connects the contact element to a meansforstopping Ithe fabric producing machine and is actuated upon contact ofoneof the levers with the contact element.

1 The above and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following. detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein j PIG. l is a top plan view of a yarntensioning device in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of FIG. l showing a plurality ofyarn guide means levers in different positions;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing one yarn guide means lever in yet anotherposition;

iFIG. 3a is similar to FIG. 3 showing an inactivated yarn guide meanslever; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the zig-zag path taken by the yarnas it passes in contact with the yarn tension control means of theinvention.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals indica-telike parts in all figures, there is shown ayarn tension control meansconsisting of three helical springs A, B and C positioned concentricallyabout one another and supported on a crossbar 1. The crossbar may beheld lixedly or adjustably by any suitable support means (not shown). Toshow the concentrically arranged springs, the ends of springs A and Bare broken off in FG. l so as to reveal the respective underlying springcoils. As is apparent from FIG. l and the schematic showing of FIG. 4,the helices of alternating springs face in opposite directions so thatany yarn in contact therewith is forced into a zig-zag path as ittravels through the springs (see FlG. 4).

The yarn guide means positioned in the paths of yarns traveling fromyarn packages (not shown) to a fabric producing machine (also not shown)comprises a plurality of levers 2 and yarn guide means on each lever,the illustrated yarn guide means consisting of a pair of loops 3. Asshown, the yarn tension control means A, B, C is positioned between theloops 3 and below the levers 2. Each lever has a suport 4 dening a planewith its lever and the path of the yarn traveling through the respectivelever loops. The -le'vers are swingably mounted on the supports forpivotal movement in the respective planes, a pivot 5 o-n each supportholding a forked end 6 of each lever. Tension spring 7 connects eachlever with its support, the pivots 5 being intermediate the points ofconnection of the tension springs and their supports. Each tensionspring biases its lever upwardly toward the respective support aboutpivot 5 when the tension spring is in the plane defined by the lever andthe support (see FIG. l). When a specific yarn guide means lever is tobe put out of action, its tension spring is merely flipped aside pastthe pivot and out of this plane whereby the lever will corne to restagainst the yarn tension control means without further movement, asshown in FIG. 3a and in broken -lines showing some of the tensionsprings out of action in FIG. l.

The bias of the tension springs determines the tension under which thelevers 2 are biased upwardly against the pull of the yarns passingthrough loops 3. In accordance with the preferred embodiment illustratedherein, the tension spring bias is adjustable. The specificallyillustrated bias adjusting means comprises an anchoring element S forone end of each tension spring. The anchoring element is a simplenut-and-bolt assembly movably mounted in longitudinally extending slot9` provided in each lever support 4 whereby the distance between theanchoring element and the respective pivot 5 may be adjusted, varyingdistances being shown in connection with different levers. One end ofeach tension spring 7 is simply attached to a lug on the anchoringelement and is `automatically moved farther away or closer to its pivot5 as the anchoring element is slid along slot 9 to the desired distanceand the corresponding bias of the tension spring is obtained.

All elements of the yarn tensioning device are preferably of anelectrically conductive material, such as metal, for instance steel, andan electrical contact element 10, for instance of steel, is shownmounted above levers 2 and supports 4. Contact element 10 extendstransversely of the levers and supports. As shown at 2a in FIG. 2, whena yarn passing through lever loops 3 breaks and thus releases alldownward pull on the lever, the lever will snap upwardly under the biasof its tension spring and contact the element 10. The contact elementforms part of an electrical control circuit which is closed when anelectrically conductive lever 2a contacts the element 10, cable l1leading from contact element l0 to a suitable means (not shown) forstopping the fabric producing machine to which the yarns travel. Theelectrical control circuit comprises the lever and support, all supportsbeing tixedly mounted on conductive crossbar 12 which is connected toelectrical conductor wire 13 receiving power from a suitable voltagesource. The supports are spaced apart by washers 14 positioned betweenadjacent supports.

The operation of my improved yarn tensioning device will partly beself-evident from the above description of its structure and will partlybe elucidated hereinafter. As will be evident, any desired number ofyarn guide means levers may be positioned side-by-side and quite closetogether, for instance about SAS" apart or even closer, thus permittingindividual yarn tension control for a considerable number of yarnscoming from any suitable yarn supply, for instance a plurality of yarncones feeding yarn to a knitting machine. Obviously, this type ofindividual yarn control may also be useful in other fabric producingmachines where it is desirable to receive the yarns under even anduniform tension.

On its travel from the yarn package to the fabric producing machine,each yarn is guided through lever loops 3, as best shown in FIG. 2. Whenthe yarn comes off the package tightly and when it is under the desiredtension (see FIG. 3), it will pull the lever 2 down a little against thebias of spring 7 so that the yarn path by-passes the tension controlmeans and the yarn is not in contact therewith. However, when yarn comesoff the package under normal tension and when the bias of spring 7 isstronger than the pull of the tension of the yarn, lever 2 will bepivoted upwardly (see FlG. 2) so that the yarn engages the helicalsprings of the tension control means, passing between their resilient.helices in a zig-zag path and causing corresponding friction to theyarn. This friction will automatically control the tension of the yarnso that it will emerge from the tension control means with approximatelythe same tension as the tension with which the yarn comes ofic thepackage, the tension of the yarns increasing as the yarn rides up in thetension control means wherethrough it normally passes at its bottomthird. ln this manner, the tension of all the yarns is equalized and allyarns are fed to the fabric producing machine under substantiallyuniform tension. Knots will pass through the tension control means,causing each coil spring to move first in one and then in the oppositedirection to accommodate the knot while the other springs hug the yarnin the zig-zag path for proper control.

It is often desired, in knitting vertical yarns, for instance, toeliminate the feeding of a number of yarns for a given period of time.In accordance with the present invention, each yarn guide means levermay readily be put out of action very simply by merely dipping litstension spring sideways out of the plane of the lever (see FIG. 3a),whereby the tension spring will pull the lever against the tensioncontrol means and keep it inactive and out of contact with theelectrical contact element 10. Since knitting operations often involvethe feeding of hundreds of yarns and a hundred or so must often betemporarily discontinued for different fabric designs, this fast andsimple inactivation of a great number of individual yarn guide meansconstitutes an enormous operational advantage.

Furthermore, the desired tension may be readily and infinitely adjustedby the simple tension spring adjustment means of the invention, asdescribed and illustrated.

Finally, the fabric producing machine will be stopped instantly when anyindividual yarn fed thereto breaks because its guide means lever willpromptly snap into contact with element l@ under the bias of spring 7when no yarn pulls the lever down, thus closing an electrical controlcircuit which actuates any conventional means for stopping the machine.

Support rod 1 for the coil springs may be eliminated entirely. If used,the tops of the coil springs are preferably attached to the rod (or toeach other, if no rod is used) so as to give the yarns passing throughthe control means room to move to the upper third of the coils to seekadditional friction for proper tension control.

While I have described my improved yarn tensioning device in connectionwith a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be clearly understood thatmany variations and modifications may occur to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention asdefined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. ln combination with a yarn tensioning device comprising a yarn guidemeans in the path of a yarn traveling from a yarn package to a yarnhandling machine; a yarn tension control means positioned between theyarn guide means and said yarn handling machine, said yarn tensioncontrol means extending transversely of said yarn path and comprising aplurality of helical resilient elements positioned concentrically oneabout the other, the helices of adjacent elements facing in oppositedirections and the yarn tension control means being arranged above thepath of the traveling yarn, the yarn tensioning device being arranged toguide any yarn into contact with said helical elements whereby said yarnis forced through a zigzag path as it travels therethrough.

2. In combination with a yarn tensioning device comprising, yarn guidemeans in the path of a yarn traveling from a yarn package to a yarnhandling machine; yarn tension control means positioned between the yarnguide means and said yarn handling machine, said yarn tension controlmeans extending transversely of said yarn path and comprising aplurality of helical resilient elements positio-ned concentrically oneabout the other, the helices of adjacent elements facing in oppositedirections `and the yarn tension control means being arranged above thepath of the traveling yarn, the yarn tensioning device being arranged toguide any yarn into contact with said helical elements whereby said yarnis forced through a zig-zag path as it travels therethrough, said yarntension `control means comprising at least three of said helicalresilient elements.

3. A yarn tensioning device, comprising yarn guide means in the paths ofyarns traveling from a plurality of yarn packages to a yarn handlingmachine, said guide means comprising a plurality of adjacent levers,yarn guide means on each of said levers, an individual support for eachof said levers, each lever and its support defining a plane with arespective one of said yarn paths, each support including a pivotswingably mounting a respec- Itive one of said levers in a respectiveone of said planes, a tension spring connecting each lever with itssupport, each pivot being intermediate the points of connection of thetension spring to the lever and the support respectively, the springconnecting points and the lever pivot delining a single plane, eachtension spring biasing the lever connected thereto upwardly toward itssupport about said pivot when said tensio-n spring is in said plane andputting the lever out of action when said tension spring is flipped pastsaid pivot and out of said plane, and the bias of said tension springsdetermining the tension under which said levers are biased upwardly, andyarn tension control means positioned between the yarn guide means andsaid yarn handling machine, said yarn tension control means comprisingresilient elements extending transversely of said yarn paths and out ofcontact with said yarns when the yarn tension is sufficient to pull thelevers down against the tension spring bias, said yarns being pulledinto contact with said elements when the tension spring bias overcomesthe yarn tensions and pivots the respective lever upwardly, the yarntension control elements being shaped to force any yarn traveling incontact therewith through a zig-Zag path, the zig-zag path of each ofsaid yarns extending transversely to the respective yarn paths, saidyarn tension control means comprising a plurality of helical springspositioned concentrically one about the other, the helices of adjacentsprings facing in opposite directions.

`4. A yarn tensioning device, comprising yarn guide means in the pathsof yarns traveling from a plurality of yarn packages to a yarn handlingmachine, said guide means comprising `a plurality of adjacent levers,yarn guide means on each of said levers, an individual support for eachof said levers, each lever and its support deiining a plane with arespective one of said yarn paths, each support including a pivotswingably mounting a respective one of said levers in a respective oneof said planes, and a tension spring connecting each lever with itssupport, each pivot being intermediate the points of connection of thetension spring to the lever and the support respectively, the springconnection points and the lever pivot defining a single plane, eachtension spring biasing the lever connected thereto upwardly toward itssupport about said pivot when said tension spring is in said plane andputting the lever out of action when said tension spring is flipped pastsaid pivot and out of said plane, the bias of said tension springdetermining the tension under which said levers are biased upwardly,said yarn tension control means positioned between the yarn guide meansand said yarn handling machine, said yarn tension control meanscomprising resilient elements extending transversely of said yarn pathsand out of contact with said yarns when the yarn tension is suicient topull the levers down against the tension spring bias, said yarns beingpulled into contact with said elements when the tension spring biasovercomes the yarn tension and pivots the respective lever upwardly, theyarn tension control elements being shaped to force any yarn travelingin con-tact therewith through a zig-zag path, the zig-zag path of eachof said yarns extending transversely to the respective yarn paths, saidyarn tension control means comprising at least three helical springspositioned concentrically one about the other, the helices of adjacentsprings facing in opposite directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,217,022 Lawson et al Oct. 8, 1940 2,383,838 Auble Aug. 28, 19452,618,444 Taggart Nov. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,709 Great Britain of1901 1,082,443 [France June 16, 1954

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A YARN TENSIONING DEVICE COMPRISING A YARN GUIDEMEANS IN THE PATH OF A YARN TRAVELING FROM A YARN PACKAGE TO A YARNHANDLING MACHINE; A YARN TENSION CONTROL MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN THEYARN GUIDE MEANS AND SAID YARN HANDLING MACHINE, SAID YARN TENSIONCONTROL MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID YARN PATH AND COMPRISING APLURALITY OF HELICAL RESILIENT ELEMENTS POSITIONED CONCENTRICALLY ONEABOUT THE OTHER, THE HELICES OF ADJACENT ELEMENTS FACING IN OPPOSITEDIRECTIONS AND THE YARN TENSION CONTROL MEANS BEING ARRANGED ABOVE THEPATH OF THE TRAVELLING YARN, THE YARN TENSIONING DEVICE BEING ARRANGEDTO GUIDE ANY YARN INTO CONTACT WITH SAID HELICAL ELEMENTS WHEREBY SAIDYARN IS FORCED THROUGH A ZIGZAG PATH AS ITS TRAVELS THERETHROUGH.